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The star studded cast includes John Travolta, Joe Pesci, and may even include Lindsay Lohan. (Published Wednesday, Apr 13, 2011)

Updated at 1:39 PM CST on Wednesday, May 30, 2012

It took little more than a week for the talk of Lindsay Lohan playing a Gotti to go from rumor to imminent reality. This week, she showed up unexpectedly at a New York press conference announcing the start of production on "Gotti: Three Generations," starring John Travolta as John Gotti Sr and directed by Nick Cassavetes.

And although the producers of the film stopped short of confirming her casting, it seemed close to a certainty. So this got us thinking once again if this is the best move for the epically beleaguered starlet. In short: It is.

Cast Aside: Actors Who Almost Had the Part

Right after news broke that Travolta would be playing Gotti Sr, word got out that the Dapper Don’s daughter, Victoria, had handpicked LiLo to play her in the film. It seemed almost too funny to be true. But look at them side-by-side and it makes more sense:

This is a huge improvement for Lohan over some of the other roles that have floated her way. The Linda Lovelace biopic “Inferno” was a disaster waiting to happen, with an unproven writer-director set to recreate some seriously degrading moments. This role would put her in the company of pros, playing a Long Island girl.

“Lindsay is a terrific actress and we’re very glad to have her here, and I am in talks to have her in the movie. Nothing has been finalized, but we are in talks,” said “Gotti” producer Mark Fiore.

“Gotti” would have Lohan working with John Travolta and Joe Pesci on a regular basis. Say what you will about their recentfilm choices, they’re both pros. Plus, with Travolta keeping a watchful eye on his impressionable daughter (Ella Bleu Travolta has a part in the film) , there is no way Lohan will get away with any mishegas.

“I’ve always thought she was gorgeous and talented and filled with a lot of depth, so I think whatever she would like to do would be great with me,” said Travolta at Tuesday’s press conference when asked about the possibility of working with Lohan.

Lord knows Jane Fonda tried to set her straight on the set of “Georgia,” but we’re guessing Travolta could prove to be a bit more persuasive, especially since he'll be in full "Gotti" mode.

And if Travolta can’t get through to her, you can be sure Nick Cassavetes won’t put up with a moment of the sort of nonsense that has marked Lohan’s every headline for the past few years.

If you caught the 6’6” actor-director’s cameo on “Entourage,” you know the man can be terrifying. There's a reason he was cast to replace Liam Neeson (who replaced Mel Gibson) as the crazed tattoo artist in "The Hangover 2."

We still don't have final word on Lindsay's involvement, but this could just be the best decision she's made in a while.